Thursday, 25 February 2016

Good Carma Vegan Parmesan

Since starting my vegan journey parmesan cheese is something which i've just completely cut out of my diet and, truth be told, I don't ever really miss it. I have tried other vegan cheeses in the past, such as Violife, and I would say that from my own experiences vegan parmesan cheese is not something that I have found to be easily available. So when the Vegan Lifestyle Association contacted me and asked if i'd like to review some vegan parmesan cheese I was definitely intrigued and willing to give it a try.

Good Carmacurrently offer three different varieties of 'Flavour Fusion' vegan parmesan cheese - Original, Chilli and Garlic. All of the different flavours share the same fundamental ingredients including yeast flakes, himalayan pink salt and ground almonds. Opposed to regular parmesan cheese, this vegan variety has some really good health benefits from using these key ingredients including detoxifying qualities, vitamin B12 and mono-unsaturated fats. As well as being vegan friendly they are also wheat and gluten free.

Original

The Original Flavour Fusion smells very much like a basil seasoning which actually makes a pleasant surprise change from the normal pungent aroma you'd expect from a dairy parmesan cheese. Texture wise it reminds me of the dried grated variety I used to enjoy back in the day on my spaghetti bolognese. It's slightly gritty but melts in the mouth. On first taste you get a pleasant subtle flavour infused with basil and salt. It's definitely not as strong as dairy parmesan cheese but it certainly acts as a tasty seasoning to any Italian dish.

Chilli

The Chilli Flavour Fusion shares exactly the same texture as the original and has no discernible smell. The chilli flakes add a pleasing mild kick to the overall flavour which makes it work particularly well on Mexican style dishes or meals that need some extra spicing up. I tried this flavour with hummus and also on top of my avocado toast lunch and it worked really well on both.

Garlic

My first impression of the Garlic Flavour Fusion was WOW - you definitely get a hit from the smell of garlic! To taste it has a roasted garlic flavour and is reminiscent of the garlic salt seasoning you can buy from supermarkets which is often used to enhance soups and stir fry's. I also tried this flavour on some salad which worked amazingly well and made me think that it would be perfect as part of a vegan caesar salad.

Overall I've been impressed by the Flavour Fusion range of vegan parmesan cheeses and they have been a welcomed addition to my food cupboard. For me, it's not so much an alternative product to dairy cheese because, unlike other vegan cheese i've tried, it's not actually too cheesy in smell or flavour. Personally, I don't miss cheese at all so this is perfect for me but I would say that if you are looking for something particularly strongly cheese flavoured then maybe these products wouldn't tick that box for you. Either way, these Flavour Fusions make great additional seasonings for your food cupboard and i'd recommend giving them a try.